William e



w. E. SMITH.

SEAMLESS TUBULAR KNI T FABRIC AND PROCESS OF KNITTING THE SAME. APPLICATION FILED MAY 5, 1919.

1,390,827. PatentedSept. 13,1921'.,.

fyf 36 A W I l imam W UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEQ 1 WILLIAM E. .smrm, or" mLn'rowiv, NEW

JERSEY, ASSIGNOR we ran m'rmtwovnn;

mus, me, or NEW BRUNSWICK, NEW JERSEY, a conronarronor new mnsny.

sEAMLEss TUBULAR 3mm FABRIC AND rnocEss orxNrr'rmemnn e,

Application filed my 5,

To aZZ whom it may concern: a v Be it known that I, WILLIAM a citizen of the'United States, reslding at Milltown, in the county of Middlesex and State of New Jersey, have invented. certain new'and useful Improvements in Seamless Tubular. Knit Fabrics and Processes of Knitting the Same; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, andrexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe'same.

My invention consists inthe novel features hereinafter described reference being had to the accompanying drawings which illustrate my improved process, together with two means for carrying the same into effect, selectedby me for purposesof illus tration, and the fabric orstocking produced by my improved rocess, and my said invention isfully disclosed in the following description and claims. i I

My invention relates to the fashioning of 1 seamless'tubular' fabrics, and particularly to the fashioning of stockings, and is an im provement on the process and fabric set forth in Letters Patent of the United States:

granted to Edward E. Kilbourn, William E.

Smith, and I. IV. Kilbourn, No. 1,110,443,

dated Sept. 15, 1914, and on the process and fabric set forth in Letters Patent of the" 1 United States No. 1,231,443, dated J an. 26,

1917, granted to lVilliam E. Smith.

difficulty has increased of late owing to the fact that the demand for fine, close knit fabrics has necessitated the increasing of the number of needles in the circular series, while the size or diameter of the cylinder itself has in many instances been reduced, so that as many as 240 or more needles are arranged in a circle having a diameter of only a few inches, and must be operated for both circular and reciprocating work to pro duce a seamless stocking. The patent of Kilbourn, Smith, Kilbourn, above mentioned, first disclosed the idea of making the sole of ,a stocking actually longer than the corresponding top portion of the foot- (which ordinarily containsthe same num- 1919) Serial 170,294,784,

v Specification or Letters ratent. Patented Sept,

' ber of courses) to fashion the stocking to E; SMITH,

the foot and prevent the formation of" wrinkles on-ithe top ofthe'toes-and instep,-

which otherwise will form, where the same amount of fabric is knit in the top and soleiportions, and which constitutes one of the chief obj ec tionsto circular knit, or seamless stockings. In this patent-the increase inthe length of-th sole was accomplished by knitting longer stitches, a filling thread 1 being inserted to fill up the mesh and impart the necessary weight to thesole. This, however, requires the presence inthe m'achine of specialmechanism for changing the length: of the stitches, and the use of 1 I extra filling yarn inthesole, and while effi= clent, is expensive.

In my former Patent No. 1,231,443,-I disclosed a methodof fash- V .ioning the sole of a stocking"(or tubular :knit fabric generally) by knitting' a plurality of extra partial coursesywith an additional thread, separate from themain knitting thread, between the circular courses;

knit with the main knitting thread, which partial courses were eachknit during' theknitting of acircular course, certain of the needles being operatedtwice in a single revolution of the machine.

This process is eflicient but necessitates an extra knitting I cam andextra thread guide. Moreover, in

knitting-colored goods for the market it is same shade,and further no two threads are practically impossible to get two-threads of ever exactlyalike' in character and there fore do not take the dye alike; It is therefore extremely desirable that all the thread used in every portion of the stocking shall beofi' of the same bobbin if possible, as the use" of diflerent threads is very likelygto produce mottled effects, in the finished fab My present invention has for its object the production of a tubular fabric having a segmental portion of less length than the other portions, and more "specifically, a stocking having the top portion of the foot of .less length than the sole portion, by the simplest possible means with a single knitting thread, and: sothat no extra thread whatever need be used in'the sole. To this end I knita tubular fabric (as for example the foot of aseamlessstocking) with av single thread (by which term I mean one,

plurality of circular .courses, and a plurality of partial coursesin a segment of the fab; ric, knit with the same thread intermediate.

adjacent circular courses, and preventthe formation of the remaining stitches ofsaid partial courses, thus making the other segment, e.,-the top of the foot of the stocking,

shorterthan the segment containing the partialcourses, 21 6., the sole portion, by omitting partial coursesfrom the top of the foot, and-knitting the entire foot or tubewith a 7 single thread, instead of inserting-extra. courses in the sole formed of. a separate thread, as in my former Patent lie-1,231,443.

The entire foot is thus formed of the same yarn and no variation in quality or color. is likely to occur, and no additional thickening thread is required, although a splicing thread may be-employed if it is desired... I prefer to carry my invention into eifectby means ofa circular knitting machine, and inthe operation of suchmachine, whenitis desired to form a, partial course in one segment of the fabrieand omitting the remaining portion of the course in the other segment of the fabric, the needles which knit the shorter segment are elevated out ofoperative vrelation with their knitting. cam before they receive the thread, so Ythat the thread which is fed circularly will engage'these needles below their latches, the remalning nee-.

dles receiving the thread in their hooks and forming stitches in the usual manner, while the elevatedneedles do not knit, andrthus omit the balance of the. course. Before the next course is'knit, the elevated needles are 1 drawn down into'operative relation with the knitting cam and receive the thread for the next'z-course of stitches within their hooks. above ,thelatches so-that when these needles are dr-awn'down'to knit the stitches of the 7 next course (which will be a circular course) the thread previously fed below the latches in the preceding course will pass up over the latchesas they-close,and over the tops ofthe needles, to the interior of the tube where it will extend across the tube as a float from one end of the partial course to the other. In this manner a partial course is knit between adjacent complete circular courses and the remainingstitches of the partial courses .are omitted, so as to shorten the fabric in which they would otherwise occur. These partial courses may be formed wherever desired and in any desired number through the I circular 'knit fabric, as the foot of the stocking, and after the completion of the fabric, the float threads are cut out.

I may accomplish this result in other ways within th scope of my invention, asfor exstocking the part of the fabric which is not to be lengthened so that the thread will not be delivere d to them alt-all, or by raising the nee dles' knitting the lengthened fabric together with their-operating cam and thread ,guide for the same purpose, or by causing the needles knitting the part of the fabric which is -ample,-by depressing the needles knitting to prevent the formation-of stitches inp'ar tial courses, by elevating the needles, and

causingthem tozthereafter throw the thread, as before described. 7

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure '1 represents a side elevation of a stocking (a mans half hose) showing my invention embodied therein.

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the, circular series of needles, and the manner of feeding the single knitting thread thereto.

portion ofa stocking embodying myinvention, made by the herein described process of knitting .in which a different distribution of the partial courses isindicated.

In Fig. 2 of the drawing I have indicated diagrammatically the circular series of instrumentalities (needles) upon which'the tubular fabric,; and particularly the seamless 7 illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 1, isknit, In Fig. 2v 1 represents the section of consecutive. needles on which the shorter segment of the fabric is to be knit, and 2 represents the needles which knit the longer segment'of the fabric, the dotted line zu-ai indicating the line. of demarcation be tween the two sets of needles. It will be unofthe needles by a single thread guide.

In carrying out my invention I supply during eachcircular course of knitting, a single thread (by which I mean a thread or two or more threads fed as a. singlethread) indicated at 3 to all of the needles 1 and 2. each ofwhicli is actuated'to form a stitch, thus producing the ordinary circular course of stitches. Then itis desired tomake the segment knit by needles 1 of less length-than that knit by needles 2, as inknittingthe foot of astocking, the threadindicatedat-3 in Figs. 2 and 8, is fed circularlytoallof the needles as before,.but each of the needles 1 is elevated (as shown inFig. 3) out of operative relation with the knitting cam, and to such a position that the thread will be fed below the latch, while the thread is fed ioa indicated by the dotted-lines 3.

in the usual manner to needles 2. It follows therefore, that While the needles 2- will each knit a stitch and form a partial course through a segment of the tube (as the sole of the foot of "a stocking), the needles twill not knit and the remaining stitches ofv the .partial course will be omitted from the other segment of the tube (as the top of the foot). V On the completion of this course, the needles 1 will be drawn down into operative relation with the knitting cam'an'd will-receive the thread for the next course in their-"hooks,

and as theydraw the stitches for the next course, which will be a complete circular course, the thread for the preceding course,

which lies below their latches, will pass up over the closed latches and over the tops oij the'needles to the interior of the tube; andwill extend across the tube from one end of the partial-course to the other as a float, indicated at 3*, which afterward is cut out, as As the length of the sole is what determines the standard size-of the stocking, the sole is knit with the desired or usual number of courses.

'cornplete and partial, then'umber of partial courses depending on the number of partial courses toybeomitted from the top of the foot, and being" preferably a sufficient num her to makethe fabric of the top of the foot,

' "a size or a half size shorter than the sole portion of. the foot.-

It is. within the' scope my invention to omit the, partial courses from the top of the foot by othenmea'ns than by raising 'theneedles For example, they may be depressed soc-that the thread passes over them, orftheneedles .2 with their cam and their threadguide may be manipulated so as to supply'the' thread; to the needles 2,

without supplying it to the needles 1, the essential feature being that a partial course which would ordinarily be knit on: the

above the heel which may or may not be re inforced as desired,iCrepresents the top portion of the foot, and C the sole portion of the foot. i

In knitting the stocking shown 1n Fig. 1,

the ribbed top A is formed in the usual man,- her and run on. or transferred to the needles of a "circular knitting machine. The thread is then fed circularly to all the needles 1 -and12, and the needlesrare operated to knit circular courses of stitches manner.

" forming the leg'B, down to the beginning of the heel, as indicated by dotted lines 678. The heel D is then knit by reciprocating work and narrowing and widening on the group of needles 2, (the needles 1 remaining. stationary and holding their stitches as usual), and preferably using a separate heel thread heavier than the main knitting thread, or in anyothe'r desired' In knitting the 5 foot- CC, circular-knittingis resumed with the knitting thread.- "In order to make the top of the foot shorter than the sole portion, I knit a certain number of partial courses 3 in the sole, between adjacent circular courses 3, and

with the same knitting thread (or threads) and omit the corresponding partial courses from the top of the foot, in the mannerheretofore described. Il may knit these partialcourses at intervals throughout the sole,

or I'may introduce a number of them after each one of successive circular courses at one point only in the sole; or atqtwo or more points, as preferred; For example, I may knit a considerable number of them in the part C of the solendjac'ent to the heel, or

I may locate a considerable number in the part C of'the sole adjacent to'the toe, or

I may locate part of them 'ateach end of the'sole, as at (3 -41 or at other points in theflsole, or I may distribute them singly or in small groups-along the sole, as indicated at C in any case omi'tting'a certain number of partial courses in the topportion of the foot, and knittin'g the complete courses and thepartial-courses of-the sole 'with the same thread. The resulting fabric willbe a stockingin which the top portion of the foot will be from a half size to a size or more shorter than the sole, or in otherwords, in which the sole will be longer than the top of the foot, thus when the stocking is worn, the sole which is of the proper length for the particular size.

stocking, will fit the sole of the foot, while the top of the foot and instep portions being shorter will fit neatly and smoothly without forming the objectionable wrinkles llO noticeable in ordinary seamless stockings, v

and which look badly when worn with low shoes, and which are a positive annoyance in causing undue pressure on the foot, whether worn with high or low shoes.

After knitting the sole, the toe pocket is knit in the usual or any preferred manner, andthe stocking is completed 'by looping the upper edge of the toe pocket to the edge of the top: portion of the foot, as at e, in the usual manner. 7

My invention may be .carried out in many ways, by hand, and? also by mechanical means. i

" I have found it convenient'to. carry the inventioninto effect by means of apparatus set forth in Letters Patent of the United any circular knit tubular fabric.

States granted to me, to wit, No. 1,347,186, patented July 20, 1920, andNo. 1,868,664, patented February 15, 1921.

It is obvious that I may knit two; or moreconsecutive partial courses in a segment of the tubular fabric, and suppress or omit a corresponding number of partial courses in the other portion of the fabric, if this is deemed desirable, but it will generally be. preferred in practice to knit the partial.

courses single between adjacent or consecutive circular courses, as'hereinbefore described. I Q

In Fig. 4 I have shown diagrammatically the foot portion of a stocking embodying my invention, and made by the hereindescribed process of knitting in which a dif foot of the stocking may be knit'throughout with an extra partial course after every third complete circular course throughout its length, or that this course may be pursued through a portion or portions of the foot of the stocking as may be desired. I have also indicated inthis figure a toe band, indicated atfc which I preferably knit of circular courses only, adjacent to the toe pocket, although this is not essential.

In carrying out my invention the thread is fed circularly in the same direction at all times during the knitting of circular knit tubular work. cording to my invention, the invention is applied usually to the circular knit tubularfoot portion between the heel pocket and toe pocket, but the invention is applicable to It is to be clearly understood that'where I have referred to circular courses and the feeding of the thread circularly herein, I always mean to refer to circular knitting, in which the thread is fed continuously in the same direction, and distinguished from reciprocating knitting which is always termed reciprocating knitting whether the thread is fed all or a part of the way around the tube.

What I claimand desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. The herein described process of knitting a circular knit tubular fabric, which consists in feeding a continuous main knitting thread circularly and continuously in the same direction, and forming a'plurality In this diagrainI have in In knitting a stocking acof circular courses of stitches and -prevent-.

. tions of single courses located in the same segmentofthe fabric, to produce-Single par tial courses o-fstitches in the other segment;-

of the fabric between. adjacent circular courses knit with the samethread, all the I 4 the same direction throughout the formation- 1 of said circularknit fabric, knitting'a plurality of complete circular courses of stitches, and preventing the formation of stitches through portions of single, courses located in. the same segment ofthe fabric to I )I'OClHCG singlepartial courses of stitches in the other segment of the fabric, between adjacent circular courses, knit with the same thread,-and floating the thread. from one end of each-partial course across the tube, all-the stitches of sa d circularand partial courses being of substantially the same size.

3. The herein described process ofknit- V ting a tubular fabric having a segmental portion of less length than other portions of the tubular fabric, which consists in feeding a single knitting threadcircularly and forming a circular courseof stitches, then feed-" ing the same thread circularly in the: same direction and knitting .a partialcourse of:-

stitche's upon agroup of stitchesofsaid-cir i1 I Z- .cular course, and carrying'the thread across. the tubular fabric, and; then. feeding thesame thread circularly in the same-direction and knitting a circular course, of stitches upon said partial course; of stitches, and the remainingistitches of'the preceding circular course not connected with'the stitchesof said partial course.-

4;. The herein described process. of knitting a tubular fabric having a segmental 2 portion of less length than the remaining portion of such tubular fabric, which consists-in feedlng a slngle knitting thread cir- --cularly to 'a circularly arranged serles of instrumentalities, and operating allof said instrumentalities to form. a circular course of stitches, feeding the same thread CirCll-.

larly in the same direction to all of'said instrumentalities,and causing portion of .consecutive instrumentalities to throw off the said thread, feeding the same thread cir-' cularly in the same direction and operating all of said instrumentalities to form a cir- ,cular course of stitches upon the partial course, and the portion of the'preceding. circular course not connected therewith.

5. The herein described process of knitting a tubular-V fabric having a segmental portion of less length than the remaining portion of such tubular fabric, which consists in feeding a single knitting thread circularly to a circularly arranged series of instrumentalities, and operating all of said instrumentalities to form a circular course of stitches, feeding the same thread circularly in the same direction to all of said instrumentalities, operating all of said instrumentalities, and placing a segmental portion of said instrumentalities in inoperative position at the time the thread is fed to them, whereby a partial course of stitches will be formed, restoring said inoperatively positioned instrumentalities to operative position and feeding the same thread circularly in the same direction to form a circular course of stitches upon the stitches of the partial courses and the stitches of the portion of the preceding circular course not engaged by the stitches of the partial course.

6. The herein described process of knitting a tubular fabric having a segmental portion of less length than the remaining portion of such tubular fabric, which consists in feeding a single knitting thread circularly to all of a circularly arranged series of instrumentalities and operating all of said instrumentalities to form a circular course of stitches, feeding the same thread circularly in the same direction to all of said instrumentalities, placing a segmental portion of said instrumentalities in inoperative position at the time the thread is fed to them, and causing them to hold the stitches of the preceding circular course without knitting, whereby a partial course of stitches will be formed, then feeding the same knitting thread circularly in the same direction to all of the series of instrumentalities while in operative position, and knitting a complete circular course of stitches upon the stitches of the said partial course and upon the stitches of the said preceding circular course not connected with the partial course, and causing the needles which were moved to inoperative position during the knitting of the partial course to cast 01f during the knitting of said circular course the knitting thread fed to them while they were in inoperative position.

,7. The herein described process of knitting a seamless tubular stocking which consists in knitting the leg by circular knitting, forming the heel pocket, knitting the foot portion by continuous circular knitting with a single thread, fed continuously in the same direction, and forming circular courses, forming partial courses in the sole portion of the foot with the same thread, between circular courses, and omitting the remaining stitches of such partial courses over the top of the foot, and floating the said thread from one end of each of said partial courses across the tube.

8. The herein described circular knit tubular fabric comprising a plurality of complete circular course of stitches of substantially the same size throughout and knit with the same thread, and single partial courses of stitches of substantially the same size as those of the circular courses located between adjacent circular courses and formed of the same thread as that composing the circular courses, said partial courses being located in the same segment of the tubular fabric.

9. A fashioned seamless stocking having the foot portion between the heel and toe pockets composed of circular knitting throughout, and comprising a plurality of circular courses of stitches of substantially the same size and formed from the same thread, and single partial courses of stitches formed from the same thread lying between adjacent circular courses, and located in the sole portion of the foot and being of substantially the same size as the stitches of the circular courses, whereby the top portion of the foot is made shorter than the corresponding sole portion, the entire foot portion between the heel and toe pockets being a uniform fabric, and knit with the same thread.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

WILLIAM E. SMITH. 

